Folding table



- 1 oct. 11,1921. A D. CONVERSE ,644 81s FOLDING TABLE med Aug. 21, 1925 l l fa "I/ 357 l Y l y 1 IW /m/l/ wnnunnnnnnngnnnnnnnnnnn l Patented Oct. 171, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ATHERTON n. CONvEEsE, or WINCH-simon, MASSACHUSETTS, ,.issienon TOMOETON E. CONVERSE e son oo., OE wrnCnEnnoN, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION or MASSACHUSETTS.

FOLDING TABLE. 'Y

Appiicaaon fiied August `21, i925. seriai No.` 51,585.

My present invention relates to improvements in tables having folding legs, suoli for example as those thatr are extensively used for card tables7 sewing tables, and the like, and aims to provide a very simple construction capable of being manufactured at any extremely low cost, and one in whi'chwhen the legs are unfolded, they will be rigidly oonnectedin place without the necessity of resorting to the customary braces. y

IV ith these objects in view, the invention includes the'novel features of construction hereinafter described and delined'by the appended claims.

i In the accompanying drawings:

Figure lis a sideelevation showing a por tion of a table, one corner, with the leg attached thereto by means of my improved construction, the leg being in table top supporting position and with connecting parts shown in dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view. Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. Q. Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view ofa modified r form of leg attaching means.

Fig. 5 is a detail with the plate of Fig. 4 removed.

Fig. 6 is a perspective detail of the plate, and 1 Fig. 7 is aperspective Vdetail of the supporting means lying ybeneath the plate. .Y Referring by reference characters to this y drawing, thenumeral l designates the table l top, which may be of any desired material.

As such tables, areusuallyv constructed of heavy paste board orglightwoocLI lwill describe the present embodiment as made of such material, vin which event the top is c ustomarily reinforced' atfits margin by strips 2, which may ornamentation. In the corner where these meet, I secure a block-3..ivhich is. provided with a slot 3 extending lengthwise of the table, or in the direction in which the leg a is desired to fold. Located within this slot is a leg connecting member 4, the end lying within the slot being provided withan eye 4a which receives a pivot pin 5, which pivotally supports the member 4 1n 'the slot so that it is capable of freely swinging therein in a plane perpendicular -to the plane of the table. The outer end of the member 4 is threaded and enters an axial recess in the be of ^`any r desired finish or.y

end ofy the table leg, With which has e screw threaded connection.

I may provide the leg 6 with a transverse recess 6"L intersecting the bore into which i recess is inserted a nut 7 which is engaged by the kscrew threads ofk the member 4.

It'will thus be seen thatby a rotary mo' tion of the legit may be screwed on'aiid u'nscrewed fromtlie member 4. When partially'unscrewed from the member 4 the legv may be swung from its folded position in Fig'. 2, tothe perpendicular position ofV Fig. l, whereupon-by rotating in a clockwise direction it may be screwed onto the member 4 until the rotation is stopped by the frictional engagement o fits end with the under face of the member 3, at which time the leg will be held rigidly attached to the table. l/Vhen it is desired to fold the legit is only necessary to partially unscrew the leg by a counter-clockwise rotation, and then swing it rdown into folded position against the under side of the tabl-e top.

Of course in a metal leg, the threads could be cut directly in the end of the leg instead of inserting a nut.

In order to reduce the amount of rotaryy motion necessary to lock and unlock the leg, I preferably round the surface of the par-t 3, as indicated at 31. .y

In a modified form of my invention I may use' a leg connecting member asshoWn at 7,.' having a right angular bend therein, one leg o f the part 7 being screwed directlyinto the reinforcing stiipQ. Theother lleg of thel pait.-7. isl `screwed into', the leg proper 6 y'as' above described. v l Y 7 In order'to reinforce the leg connecting iiiemberf"Iprovide a U-shaped element 8 r secured to one ofthe strips 2 andhaving ai c iit avvayportion 9l therein straddlingtheV member 7 and hugging the angle of thebend.

On top of thisl element .8 Iv provide a lplate 9"l also screwed or. otherwise fastened to the strip 2 and upon which the top of the U^ shaped element 8 bears. A slot 10 in the plate 9 is provided to receive one leg of the member 7 and limits the opening action ofl the leg 6. f

Extending outwardly and diagonally fromv the U-shaped element 8 is an extension l1'v adapted to enter a slot 12 in a diagonal stripr` 13. The Strip serves to reinforce the light plate 9, U member 8 and diagonal strip 13.V

At the same time no strain occurs at, the point Where the member 7 enters the strip 2, so there is no tendency to bend at this point.

I claim: 1. A folding table including a top, reinforcing strips secured thereto, a leg connecting element pivoted to one of said strips, a

o member secured to said strips and having a slot therein, said leg connecting element being movable in said slot, anda table leg secured to said legA connecting element and movabletherewith, said leg connecting element being right angular, one leg thereof engaging a reinforcing strip, the other engaging the table leg, and a `U-shaped meinber secured tov a reinforcing strip and having a portion straddling the leg connecting el'ement.

2. A folding table including a top, reinforcing strips secured thereto, a leg connecting element pivoted to one of said strips, a leg carried thereby, a slotted member secured to said strips, said leg connecting-element being movable in said slot, amember straddling said leg connecting member and a diagonal support for said table top, said straddling member engaging said diagonal support.

- 3. A folding table comprising a top, marginal frame strips forming a cornera slotted element secured to a strip adjacent said corner, a leg connectingv member pivotally secured in said table, said member having a shank lying in said slot when the leg is'in normal upright position, said member hava threaded shank adjustably engaging s it1 leg, one end face of said leg abutting the slotted element When the leg is in upright position, said leg being capable of being backed off of the connecting member, swung on its pivot and folded against thetable top. f

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

ATHERTON D. convienen.. 

